Chisel2010.104.0009

Workers use chisels like this one to split slate blocks into useable tiles. A good splitting chisel can be described as a thin, flat, iron wedge that measures about 3 inches wide at the end with a round head that the worker would strike with the hammer.

While thick chisels are used for splitting large blocks of slate, a thin chisel is needed to produce the thinner tiles. A splitter would have two or three of these chisels by his side at a time and would use them along with a wooden mallet or metal hand hammer.

When the splitter receives a block of slate it is about 4 inches thick. The splitter would place the chisel along the natural cleavage plane and strike it with the hammer to split the slate in half and then in half again, continuing until reaching the desired thickness. This thin chisel is needed to achieve a thickness in the slate of about 3/16 inch, perfect for roofing.